Luke (The Valley-Westside War)
|birth = |occupation = Trader, }}Luke was a Speedro trader who often did business in Westside. He was a very streetwise man who knew more then he let on. He went around armed with two flintlock pistols and a Bowie knife and looked like he knew how to use them. Shortly after the Valley beat Westside and took Westwood, Luke came there to do business with Jeff Mendoza. He brought a dozen old popular science and science fiction magazines which he sold to Jeff for a dollar and a quarter each. Luke preferred silver coins to sandwich coins so Jeff paid him in "cartwheels" or silver dollar coins as a bonus since they weighed slightly more than the face value equivalent in quarters or half dollars.The Valley-Westside War, pgs. 138-141, hc. After finishing business, Luke made a request on behalf of Chairman Cal. Cal intended to force the Valley soldier out and regain Westwood. Cal wanted information on numbers of soldier and where they were stationed. Jeff replied he hadn't paid attention to the soldiers and didn't have the information but promised to try to gather it. With that Luke left the Mendozas house.Ibid., pgs. 141-144. As Luke went down Glendon, he met with Dan, a Valley soldier who had a crush on Liz Mendoza, Jeff's daughter. Dan had seen Luke leave the Mendoza house and used his authority to question him. Luke satisfied Dan that he was just a trader and went on his way. Before they parted, Luke teased Dan about Jeff having a pretty daughter and that Dan should try to meet her. Dan was embarrassed since he had met Liz and wanted to be with her but Luke seemed oblivious and left.Ibid., pgs. 144-148. Over the next few days, Liz spotted Luke in various places around Westwood. He always looked casual and innocent but Liz suspected he was spying for Cal.Ibid., pg. 152. Dan also notice Luke, especially when his company marched off to reinforce the Santa Monica Freeway line and he saw Luke watching intently. He reported his suspicions to his sergeant Chuck who spoke to the company commander, Captain Kevin.Ibid., pgs. 160-161. Late that night, Luke fled some Valley soldiers who were looking for him to the Mendoza house. He threw off their bloodhounds with some ground pepper thrown on his trail. Jeff let him in and hid him in a secret crawlspace between the ceiling and the roof. When the soldiers arrived, Jeff told them that he had refused to help Luke and sent him on his way. They set off in the direction Jeff point in with the bloodhounds following an older trail. Luke and Jeff agreed that he would stay hidden for a day and then leave the following night.Ibid., pgs. 164-170. The following night, Luke thanked the Mendozas and left the house. He was immediately confronted by some Valley soldiers who shot him when he tried to run. The soldiers then banged on the door of the Mendoza house demanding they open up. When the Mendozas didn't they broke the door downIbid., pgs. 175-179. but the Mendozas had vanished. Luke survived, being shot in the buttocks and was made to talk about the Mendozas to no avail.Ibid., pgs. 181-182. References Category:Merchants Category:Smokers